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Was Lindsay Lohan Under Too Much Pressure to Be Perfect?

We find it utterly depressing to see the lives of female starlets like Lindsay Lohan spiral out of control. According to news reports, she was released from jail on $300,000 bail (with a SCRAM ankle bracelet) and will reportedly head back to...

We find it utterly depressing to see the lives of female starlets like Lindsay Lohan spiral out of control. According to news reports, she was released from jail on $300,000 bail (with a SCRAM ankle bracelet) and will reportedly head back to live-in rehab today. We hope so.

But after Lohan recently admitted to having substance abuse issues, we couldn't help but wonder: What caused her downward spiral to begin with?

Perhaps the pressure to be Hollywood perfect was too much for the young star. LiLo was only 12 years old ____ when she was thrust into the limelight in her breakout "Parent Trap" role. Not long after that, she lost weight and seemed to shed both red hair and freckles.

"If you're aiming for physical perfection as so many American women are -- the perfect diet, the perfect body, the perfect clothes -- you're inviting a daily barrage of self-criticism and intense emotional distress," says Jean Fain, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychotherapist and author of "The Self-Compassion Diet"(which will be on shelves this January).

"And when you inevitably fall off the wagon or otherwise fall short, it's only a matter of moments before harsh self-criticism inspires an intolerable mix of feelings -- fear, self-loathing, disgust -- and a pressing need for instant relief. Drugs and alcohol can do more than momentarily relieve your emotional discomfort. In large enough doses, they can quickly anesthetize your distress."

SELF's Guide to Improving Your Mental Health

How do you know if you're headed down that road? "You know you're in trouble if silencing your inner perfectionist with drugs and alcohol is starting to become as reflexive as the mean, nasty things you tell yourself," says Fain. For example, if you say things to yourself like, "You really blew it! You're disgusting. A disgusting pig!" -- you may have cause for concern.

If you feel this intense pressure to be perfect, work on silencing your inner critic. And rather than turning to booze or drug use, try meditation, yoga or even meeting up with a friend who makes you feel like a bazillion bucks. And, of course, talk to your doc pronto if you find yourself using alcohol or drugs as a crutch.